


We All Fall Down

by A_Ravens_Flight



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Injury, blackhill - Freeform, tumblr drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-11
Packaged: 2018-02-08 08:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1934172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Ravens_Flight/pseuds/A_Ravens_Flight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from Tumblr that I've decided to turn into a story  - Maria falls seriously ill but hides it from Natasha. Natasha finds out the hard way. Angst and fluff ensues. <br/>Set post Avengers but Pre Winter Soldier</p>
            </blockquote>





	We All Fall Down

**Author's Note:**

> Half asleep when I finished this so apologies for any grammatical errors. Will review tomorrow and edit as appropriate.

You watch the clock tick by slowly, the minutes seem to pass agonizingly slow and the handles are mocking you in defiance of your stare. Clint is getting irritated by how absentminded you have been today. "Come on Nat, these punches aren't going to throw themselves" He mocks trying to bait you back into the fight. It works, besides the sooner you finish your spar session the sooner you can go to her. 

Maria Hill has been your girlfriend for a year tomorrow and you're determined to celebrate the day if only to cheer her up. Lately she has been quiet, spacing out often and occasionally snapping. She apologizes almost immediately but you brush it off expertly. Work has been stressful lately for her, particularly after a mission Maria was working with another agent went south and she had to be extracted early. You remember waiting patiently on the Helicarrier deck for her jet. She collapsed into your arms as soon as you were back in her office. It worried you to see her so defeated.

"You taking Hill anywhere tomorrow? Got something special to wear for her?" Clint asks with a knowing smirk and winks. You throw a hard punch that collides with the archers cheek and knock him off balance. Your leg sweeps under his and knocks him to the ground where you pin him down. "As a matter of fact I have and I'm taking her to that rooftop Italian with the pool" You grin back and help him to his feet "And we're done here. Same time Tuesday?" You ask him but leave the gym without waiting for an answer, your feet carrying you to her office at a rapid pace.

The moment you arrive you know something is amiss and you tense. Her door is ajar and there's no sign of her anywhere. A lower level agent who isn't quite as terrified as the others steps forward to inform you that he last saw her heading to the bathroom. You thank him and take off grinning, looking forward to making her jump when you sneak up on her. It's a game you play together but she never wins unless you let her. The aim is to get as close to the other without them realizing. Each time you manage to tap her on the shoulder she owes you a drink when you hit the bars on the weekend. For the sake of your enhanced liver you purposely fail and make your presence known.

" _Fuck_. . ." You hear her groan from the stall and all thoughts of playing the game leave your mind. "Ria?" You call out, using the pet name you've given her so she understands its you. There's a moment of silence before she groans again and you find her in the last stall, on the floor clutching her abdomen. She smiles weakly up at you, a sheen of sweat across her forehead, her usually perfect hair showing signs of tangles and disarray. You fall to your knees, concern and fear cracking through the armor you pride yourself on. "Whats wrong Maria? Hang on i'll get help. . ." You go to get up and fetch someone from Medical but she pulls you back down and shakes her head. "Just a stomach bug. Let's just go home and I'll sleep it off" She reassures you for the next five minutes that she's fine and you cave in. 

Once you had helped her clamber to her feet she seemed much better, even demanding that she drive. The whole drive back to your apartment you watch her and the old Maria begins to surface. She threatens you with paperwork if you don't stop staring and you joke about killing her in her sleep if she does. You laugh and it's strange to think that one person could have this effect on you. You, Natasha Romanov, master assassin & Ex Kgb spy, are in love. A concept you thought for children and completely out of your grasp. She is the only one who ever gets to see you like this. There's no need for a wall with Maria, she would just charge right through it anyway and steal your heart. Your soldier.

"So I'm thinking takeout tonight and i'm thinki . . ." Before she can finish she gasps in pain and almost lets go of the wheel. You act fast and take it from her, pulling over to the kerb and getting out. Before she can even protest you force her from her seat and support her to the passenger side. She doesn't fight you, only mumbles apologies for nearly crashing the car. You chide her for even apologizing but explain that you're taking her to the hospital. The primal fear you're met with startles you. She panics and pleads that she is fine. Her father was abusive towards her, hospital visits plagued her childhood. One look at her medical file had shown Natasha all she needed to know about the man. You reach over and comfort her, promise to stay by her side. Neither of you like hospitals. 

"No! Please Nat just take me home. It's not worth the fuss and I'd much rather sleep next to you tonight. Not in some hospital bed to be prodded and poked. Besides, I can't afford any time off at the moment. You know that" You give in and take her home but now you're really worried. As soon as you both enter the apartment she heads for your bedroom and collapses onto the bed. You follow with a glass of water and some moderate painkillers. Maria fights you at first but eventually agrees to take the tablets and get undressed. You strip her down to her underwear and then do the same for yourself. Its early, only 6pm, but if an early night and the comfort of your arms will heal then you will gladly forgo anything else for tonight. 

You lay her to rest and trail soft kisses along her neck up to her jaw. She smiles, eyes closed and murmurs her approval. Her hand begins to travel down your body but you stop her and smirk. "Not until you're feeling well. There, now you have something to concentrate on. A goal to reach" You tease and she groans again but this time it's out of desire and frustration. "Fine . . . you should try kissing me again. Your lips are nice and cool" She half whispers, her voice growing weaker by the moment. You shake her a little and she stirs a bit, protesting the movement. "Take another sip of the water and I promise to kiss you again" You purr in russian, pleased that she understands and complies. Once she lays back you wrap your arms around her and lay with your chest up against her back. "You have a fever Ria" the heat coming from her body is noticeable, it only worries you further but she is sound asleep now so you simply watch over her. She looks so fragile in your arms, angelic almost. You fall asleep with that image burned into your dreams, it gives you comfort. 

A sudden noise startles you from your sleep, you check the clock realizing hours have passed. You reach for her and freeze instantly, she is gone from the bed and even in the darkness you know something is gravely wrong. You call out her name but only silence responds. Rushing to get free from the covers you practically leap from the bed and head straight to the bathroom where you are met by a haunting sight. Maria is collapsed awkwardly against the bath. There's the broken remains of the glass and her head is gushing blood, it pools and stains the bathmat. She must have tried to fill the glass and collapsed, hitting her head off the sink as she fell. You scream her name now and fall to your knees by her side. She doesn't stir when you try to wake her and her pulse is rapid. Its pace matched only by her breathing which is fast and unnatural. Grabbing the towel you wrap it round her head to stem the blood flow before you leave her to phone for help. 

You stay with her until the paramedics arrive, lifting her head into your lap while you murmur words of comfort. She stirs a little and cries out in pain. Her body shakes violently and if you weren't holding her there would be further injury. She begins to settle, the tremors stop and her eyes find yours. "I love you" she croaks out and falls still in your arms before you can respond. Tears fall silently from your face and you beg her to wake up. Tell her that she can't leave you alone and that you love her more than life itself. You stroke her face, her soft skin is so pale and delicate in your hands that you're scared of breaking her.

You kiss her deeply, the tears fall onto her face and mix with the blood. You repeat the three words over and over like a mantra until the paramedics finally show up. They try to take her from you but you snarl and grip hold possessively. Then your hands brush past her her neck and you feel the pulse. It's weak so you hold your hand firmly against her skin until the beat is felt. They take her from you and get to work bringing her back. You watch in agony, scared to breath, wanting to conserve all the oxygen for her lungs only. They have her breathing and on a stretcher in less than two minutes. It feels like a lifetime has passed for you. 

Before they take her you kiss her forehead affectionately, her lips are obstructed by the intubation tube. Her eyes flicker open and your gazes meet.

"I love you too" you murmur and take hold of her hand.

She is your soldier and you are her spy. Nothing will ever change that. 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
